Frequently Asked Questions

What is the relationship between Cummings Foundation and Cummings Properties?
As Cummings Foundation's exclusive real estate management firm, Cummings Properties, at no charge to the Foundation, oversees the leasing, maintenance, and property management of the many large commercial buildings owned by and operated for the sole benefit of the Foundation. Founded in 1970, Cummings Properties manages more than 10 million square feet of prime office, lab, and medical space located in 10 greater Boston communities.

What is the best way to arrange a meeting with a representative of Cummings Foundation?
Although members of Grant Selection Committees sometimes make unannounced site visits, Cummings Foundation has a policy that staff members do not conduct pre-arranged site visits or hold informational, relationship-building meetings. Since this policy is applied uniformly, organizations will not be disadvantaged by it in any way.

Does my organization’s focus fit within the $100K for 100 guidelines? How should I determine whether to apply for a grant?
Please review the Grant Information section carefully to determine whether an organization is eligible for a $100K for 100 grant and falls within the funding priorities. In the interest of equal consideration and attention, please do not contact Cummings Foundation to inquire whether an organization is a good fit for a grant. Rather, please submit an online Letter of Inquiry, according to the guidelines stated on the Grant Information page.

Is it possible to receive funding if my organization does not match Cummings Foundation's focus?
Funding is unlikely, however, an anonymous review committee will be pleased to make that formal determination based on your Letter of Inquiry.

If my organization is headquartered outside the Foundation's tri-county area, but would expend the funds within the tri-county area, could it still receive funding?
Although we recognize that nonprofits are doing good work across county lines and throughout Massachusetts and New England, the Foundation has a very local focus, seeking to support organizations that not only serve Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk counties but also are headquartered in one of these counties. Not every worthy nonprofit will match Cummings Foundation's guidelines and eligibility requirements, however, this type of discipline within our grants programs enables the Foundation to provide philanthropic support to hundreds of local organizations in a manner that is effective, efficient, and in line with its priorities.

If my organization is a regional chapter of a national organization, but serves those in the Foundation's tri-country focus area, could it still receive funding?
Cummings Foundation appreciates the positive impact national organizations have on the local area; however, its support is primarily focused on local organizations without access to the infrastructure of a national network. Local affiliates may be considered if they have an EIN separate from the national organization.

Why does Cummings Foundation not typically fund medical research?
The Foundation recognizes the importance of medical and scientific research, and it appreciates the extraordinary lifesaving advances that can result from such studies. The process of identifying excellent research proposals, however, is extremely challenging. It requires rigorous scientific review by professionals who are involved with research that is closely related to the research being proposed. Cummings Foundation is simply not equipped to perform such review.

Application Process

Does Cummings Foundation fund organizations under fiscal sponsorship?
Cummings Foundation will consider requests from (and, in a handful of cases, has awarded grants to) organizations that have fiscal sponsors. The Foundation is more likely, however, to fund organizations that have their own 501(c)(3) statuses because of the transparency and IRS oversight that accompanies that designation. In addition, there is some concern with grant funds being used to cover fees associated with fiscal sponsorship rather than having 100 percent of the funds benefit the proposed program or need.

Are there standard grant proposal requirements or a specific form?
Organizations wishing to apply for grant funding should first submit the online Letter of Inquiry. A limited number of requests that meet the Foundation’s eligibility requirements, fall within its funding priorities, and are considered potential candidates for funding will then be invited to complete full grant applications. Proposals submitted in any other manner will not be considered.

Can my organization submit more than one Letter of Inquiry in the same grant cycle?
Organizations should submit no more than one Letter per grant cycle. Departments at large institutions, such as universities and hospitals, are encouraged to coordinate efforts to ensure the highest priority need is presented.

Does being a previous grantee guarantee that my organization will be invited to submit an application?
No. The priorities of the Foundation can and have changed over time. All organizations must meet the current Letter of Inquiry (LOI) requirements to be considered for an application. All LOIs are evaluated in comparison with the current year’s other submissions.

How does being a recipient of previous funding affect a new grant application?
Every application is evaluated on its merits. If an LOI is received from a previous grantee, our staff verifies that all required Impact Reports were filed and approved for the previous grant before considering an invitation to application.

Reviewers will know if an applicant is a previous grantee by the answer to the “Other Previous Funding” question. If an application is for a program previously supported by a grant, any relevant information about previous work should be noted in the new application. If the request is for a different need or program, details of previous funding need not be included.

Does receiving an invitation to complete a full application mean my organization is likely to receive a grant?
No. In past years, Cummings Foundation has awarded grants to 35-45 percent of the organizations that completed full applications. We expect that the selection of grantees will continue to be a highly competitive process in which the number of fully worthy applications reviewed will exceed considerably the number of grants awarded.

Does Cummings Foundation have a policy regarding overhead or indirect costs?
Recognizing that most nonprofits incur general operating costs, the Foundation will consider funding necessary “overhead” expenses (e.g., rent, phone service, administrative salaries, etc.). These costs should be detailed in the budget template provided within the application rather than allocated as a percentage of the grant, as is often the practice with larger institutions, such as universities.

Does Cummings Foundation have other guidelines or restrictions regarding grant expenditures?
Built on fiscal responsibility, Cummings Foundation still adheres to the ideal of doing more with less. Accordingly, it seeks to support nonprofits that maximize their resources to deliver the greatest benefit possible. For example, the Foundation would look very unfavorably on any use of upgraded airline tickets, to include upgrades achieved through mileage awards. (The Foundation never uses first-class transportation for its own travel.)

Does Cummings Foundation fund building or renovation projects?Given the Cummings organization's basis in commercial real estate and construction, the Foundation understands the importance of bricks and mortar. Capital projects are reviewed closely, however, to ensure that plans are appropriate (and not extravagant) and that quotes are fair and reasonable. If approved, these awards will be treated as pledges to be paid upon completion of all or a portion of the project.

What disbursement schedule should I request?
All grants are for a total of $100,000, with most being awarded over two to five years, depending on the size and needs of the organization. The Foundation would not decline an application based on the requested disbursement schedule, but sometimes will award a grant with a different disbursement schedule than was requested. Single-year awards of $100,000 are occasionally awarded for one-time projects or purchases, but not typically to support ongoing programming.

What tips can you offer grant writers?

Be concise: The Foundation provides what it considers generous character limits. Use however many words are necessary within that limit to answer each question. With several hundred requests received each year, the Foundation greatly appreciates clear, concise writing.

Be different: The Foundation often receives applications from multiple organizations that address a similar need, be it food insecurity, lack of access to healthcare, or the achievement gap. Convey the qualities or services that make your organization especially effective, or explain how it fulfills an otherwise unmet need.

Be jargon-free: While some selection committee members possess expertise in a particular area (e.g., education, healthcare), each application is read by multiple people with varying backgrounds. The value of a request will likely be much more evident if it is written in commonly understood language.

Be concrete: Opt for hard numbers and specifics over rhetoric and hyperbole. For example, “The grant would fund a new part-time instructor, allowing our organization to add two classes per week, serving an additional 200 clients per year,” is preferable to, “The grant would allow our organization to increase its capacity to provide transformative learning experiences.”

Be early: Although the Foundation accepts Letters of Inquiry over a few months, the vast majority are submitted in the final days before the deadline. Submitting requests early is one way to stand out from the crowd.

After Applying

When should I expect to receive a response?
Responses to LOIs will be sent December 15 via email. If you do not receive a response by December 16, please contact the Foundation at 781-932-7093, after first checking your spam folder. Responses to full applications will be sent via postal mail in mid-May.

Please note that important notices about LOIs and applications are sent via email. To decrease the likelihood of missing such an email, applicants are encouraged to whitelist @cummings.com addresses and to check their spam folders regularly.

If my application was declined, is there a waiting period to submit another request?
There is no waiting period for organizations that have been declined for a grant. It is strongly recommended, however, that these nonprofits review the guidelines closely before submitting a Letter of Inquiry the following year.

After Receiving a Grant

How can I thank Cummings Foundation for my organization's grant?

Spend the funds wisely. The Cummings organization was built on, and continues to be a strong proponent of, fiscal responsibility. We hope and expect that grant winners will be thoughtful and creative about maximizing the impact of their grant funds.

Patronize businesses that lease space from Cummings Foundation. The large majority of buildings managed by Cummings Properties are actually owned by and operated for the benefit of Cummings Foundation, with 100 percent of rental profits going to charitable causes. Organizations that lease space in these buildings help to fund the $100K for 100 program, so we hope you will keep them in mind when deciding which businesses to patronize.

Refer potential leasing clients toCummings Foundation. If you know of an organization that leases commercial space, please let them know that leasing from the Cummings organization means that their rent dollars help local charities.

Will my organization be required to submit a report detailing its use of the grant funds?
Grant recipients will be required to submit an online Impact Report to Cummings Foundation by March 31 of the year following the awarding of the grant. For multi-year grants, additional Impact Reports will be due each March 31 thereafter during the grant period. Access to and the guidelines for this report will be provided via email each December.

As stated in the Grant Agreement, if it is determined in Cummings Foundation’s sole discretion that the grantee is not adhering to the Grant Agreement, the Foundation may terminate the grant, shall be entitled to restitution of grant funds previously paid during any then-current year, and in the case of multi-year grants, shall decline to make future installments.

Does the foundation perform site visits?
During the final year of each recipient’s grant term, Cummings Foundation volunteers will schedule a time to visit the nonprofit and see firsthand how the grant has impacted the organization. The Site Visits Committee is made up of community leaders from both the for-profit and non-profit sectors, many of whom have previously served on $100K for 100 Grant Selection Committees. These volunteers found it incredibly rewarding to be involved in choosing grant winners, and they are looking forward to the opportunity to evaluate the results of the Foundation’s investment.

In addition to being part of the final assessment of a $100K for 100 grant, these site visits mark the beginning of the process to determine Sustaining Grant winners.

How should my organization acknowledge this grant publicly?
In all public announcements of this grant, please acknowledge “Cummings Foundation.” You may also reference that your organization is the recipient of a “Cummings Foundation $100K for 100 grant.” Please do not insert "The" before Cummings Foundation.

The Conditional Grant Agreement signed by each grant recipient requires the organization to include a link to www.CummingsFoundation.org on its website and create and distribute a media release announcing the grant.

Should we add Cummings Foundation to our regular mailing lists?
In an effort to conserve your time and funding, we would very much appreciate your not adding any Cummings organization addresses (including Cummings Foundation, Cummings Properties, Cummings Center, and Joyce and Bill Cummings) to general mailing lists for fundraising requests or informational updates.

Nonprofits are eligible to receive up to one donation per calendar year from the Cummings organization. Accordingly, additional funding requests will be considered after your $100K for 100 grant has been fulfilled. Additionally, although we are very interested in the good work grant recipients are doing in local communities, our limited staff is unable to read the many newsletters, event notices, and other announcements that arrive with increasing frequency via both email and postal mail.

Please note that Cummings Foundation reserves the right to modify, add to, amend, or eliminate any of its eligibility requirements, priority funding areas, or policies at any time.